1. Field of the Invention
The invention is concerned with an improved apparatus for electroplating a radioactive source of material on a metal substrate which can be used in the ionization chamber of an ionization type smoke detector device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A radioactive ionization source for an ionization type smoke detector device has heretofore been made by depositing small portions of radioactive material on a substrate and baking the deposit and then coating to provide for a radioactive source which will withstand the environmental conditions such as changes in temperature, shock, corrosion, or physical movement and the normal handling which takes place in the manufacture of a smoke detector device. Often such radioactive sources become ineffective due to their physical change, i.e. breaking, crumbling or loosening from the substrate which results in a complete failure of the smoke detector device and can result in a hazardous condition of radioactive material being free to move outside of the confined chamber of the device.
To provide the radioactive source which is relatively stable and can withstand certain physical abuse, the applicant studied the old art of electroplating material on metal by using an electrolyte and exposing the electrolyte to a voltage to have current flow to deposit material from the electrolyte on a substrate.